


Let Them Come

by avania



Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: F/M, Original Backstory for Shepard, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Rating May Change, Shepard and Garrus are still bros, Slow Burn, Spacer (Mass Effect)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-24
Updated: 2020-05-24
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:20:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,162
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24353512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/avania/pseuds/avania
Summary: Alternative take on Mass Effect 2-3 (with backstories taking place before the events of ME1), where Melody Shepard knew Zaeed before the Illusive Man hired him.
Relationships: Zaeed Massani/Female Shepard, Zaeed Massani/Shepard
Kudos: 3





	Let Them Come

**Author's Note:**

> I am a little late to the Party, but I fell in love with Zaeed recently and started to ship him with one of my Shepards. I decided to write this when I finished literally every fan fic on this site and when I realized I needed a break from studying for my finals.  
> Hope you enjoy it!

The shuttle was shaking and bouncing as Melody and Ruth Shepard made their way to a nearby moon. It was cold and Melody began to sweat under her ill-fitting armor. She tried to steady her breath as she silently went over her training. Her fingers stretched and then formed a fist, radiating bright blue light. Her implants were weak but she could perform a pull or a weak slam. Even those feeble abilities took her months to be able to do, and she could not wait to receive new implants and new training once she enlists in the Alliance.

But until then, she only had the basic after school classes to prepare her for proper military training, and her mother, whom she was able to persuade to take her on a mission with her.

Ruth Shepard was a mercenary. She had been an Alliance Navy before but the life of a freelancer suited her better. When Melody told her about her plans, she tried to convince her otherwise. The younger Shepard knew very well why she felt that way, and even if she shared justified distaste of rules and ass-kissing, she also had her stubbornness and was determined to follow her father’s footsteps in the Alliance.

Melody figured that if Ian knew about how her weekend with mom was going, he would not be thrilled, but Ruth realized the importance of being thoroughly prepared, even if it meant putting her daughter in danger. And that is how she ended up in an old shuttle en route to a runaway’s hiding spot.

“Remember, stay behind me and watch out for flanks,” her mother’s rough voice cut through the stiff silence. “I won’t always be able to keep an eye out for you. If you are hurt or scared or whatever, fall back and run to safety. A group of mercenaries will help us, and they will have one person guarding shuttles on the LZ.”

“Mercenaries? We gonna split the bounty?” Melody bit her lip and was glad for the helmet hiding it.

“ _We_ , not you. I’m giving you enough pocket money already, and I can’t have you buying weapons again on the black market. Could get dad in trouble,” she smirked. Melody rolled her eyes. She felt like she was ready to take on bigger guns that the ones she was practicing with.

“Is there someone I know?” she asked. Melody sometimes eavesdropped on Ruth’s conversations or listened to her stories. She had never met any of her associates, but some of the tales left her with awe or disbelief strong enough to want to know who exactly watches her mother’s back.

“Don’t think so, but I’ve been to a couple of runs with them already. Got nothing to worry about, they know better than to touch a hair on my daughter’s head,” she squirmed in her seat and began to descent them. They had arrived. Looking out of the window, Melody assessed the scenery.

The moon’s surface was covered with hills and mountains. No grass was to be found, only sharp rocks and cold shine from the distant sun. Her mother briefed her before, informing her that the moon was commonly used by smugglers or runaways because of all the caves it offered. Nothing lived on it and the air was poisonous, but the caves were considered relatively safe if one knew how to navigate them. It was easy to get lost or to suffocate, dangerous holes with fumes inhabited the tight spaces.

As they were getting closer, Melody started to make out cave entrances and noticed two shuttles already on ground.

“I thought this was gonna be a simple in-and-out for one woman, why are there two other shuttles?”

“I didn’t wanna risk anything, especially with you here. Rather safe than sorry, even it it means less money. This is for you and your first real combat experience,” said Ruth softly and turn to face her daughter, “just stay behind me, don’t take any unnecessary risks.” Melody nodded and took a deep breath. Grabbing her pistol, she stood up and headed out.

Nervousness began to creep up on her more as she noticed the freelancers that were either laughing or drinking. They all wore the same dark blue armor. One flicked a cigarette butt on the ground, squished it with his foot and started to walk towards her.

Ruth had passed her by, and stood in front of her daughter, partly shielding her from the men. Melody still got a good view of the man approaching them. Probably their leader, she wondered, his armor was slightly different, one of his shoulder pats was larger and his right arm was only partly covered, revealing bright skin and muscle.

“Started to think you wouldn’t show up, we been waitin’ here for a goddamn hour. If the damn Asari knows our location 'cause of you two, the next month worth of ammo is on you, Shepard,” he said, shaking his head but Melody noticed the playful spark in his green eyes. As if he felt her gaze, he turned to her. She could feel his stare moving from her head to the armor too big for her to her orange combat boots.

“Melody, I assume,” he guessed, turning back to her mother. “Got your sense of fashion. I hope she can shoot as good as you, I’d hate tracking the Asari to another goddamn moon.”

Ruth smiled, “I tried to talk her out of the color, but she is more thick-skulled than a krogan,” she contributed. “Melody, this is Zaeed Massani, Blue Suns.”

Melody offered her hand and Massani shook it, his grip was strong and she could see him frown as she used too much force. At least he could not feel the wetness thanks to her gloves.

“Please tell me she is at least somewhat experienced,” he said to Ruth when he let go of her hand. “I know I owe ye a favour, but I don’t wanna be responsible for the kid’s injuries.”

“I am a biotic, and both dad and mom teach me hand combat and how to shoot,” Melody replied, clenching her teeth and staring straight to the mercenary’s eyes.

“And I’m sure the mercs’ll go easy on you like your ol’ folks do,” Massani growled.

“Enough. She’s my responsibility, I took her with me. Besides, she will hang around in the back or in the middle of us. She knows what to do,” Ruth said, eyes focused on Melody. “She knows if she disobeys, she won’t get a second chance.” She lowered her head and whispered to Massani, Melody could not hear the hushed sounds, but she saw Zaeed’s eyes flicking to her as he nodded.

“Right. Try to keep up kid,” he snarled at her, but the sharp poison faded from his voice. Melody’s breath trembled when he ordered his men to go, and soon she was following Ruth and the Blue Suns deeper into the caves.


End file.
